Archive | June 2012

Welcome to day 11 of our 4th of July recipe countdown! We’ve been spiking our watermelon for as long as I can remember, and it’s become our signature thing for entertaining. On some occasions, we carve a hole inside the rind and fasten a bottle of alcohol to seep in overnight before cutting it into pieces. Other times, we slice the watermelon into triangles and let it soak up the flavors in a bowl. This time, I’ve portioned the summer favorite into toothpick-friendly chunks, and given it a bath in citrus vodka. Even though this is made to resemble a tequila-based cocktail, I’ve found doing it this way is much more subtle. In fact, you can’t even taste the liquor so be sure to warn any parents of children at the party before they dig in (or naptime may come early that day…)

A squeeze of fresh lime juice and a sprinkle of kosher salt and you’ve got yourself a party! During a hot day outside, you’ll be yearning for this edible cocktail. A refreshing, juicy piece of fruit meets a cold margarita with a good kick. I’m leaving the measurements up to your discretion for how much liquor you’d like to put in. If you’d prefer to leave this family friendly, watermelon with lime and kosher salt is spectacular on its own. Cheers!

Ingredients:

Seedless watermelon, cut into bite-sized pieces

Citrus vodka

Lime juice

Kosher salt

Instructions:

Cut watermelon into bite-sized pieces. Pour vodka on top and allow it to marinate. Just before serving, squeeze fresh lime juice and sprinkle with kosher salt.

Welcome to day 10 of our 4th of July countdown! Time is flying and I’m sure many of you are kicking off your celebrations this weekend! I absolutely love a good outdoor, daytime party–particularly one that goes into the evening and even into the wee hours of the morning. It reminds me of college days when us good friends would stay up until dawn and then get breakfast together. With so many out-of-town guests, my husband and I are fortunate to relive those days a few times a year. Even though we’re all burned out from the daily grind, there’s something about being together that sparks those feelings of stay-up-all-night freedom.

Great memories are made around a fire pit. You can quote me on that. I have a feeling it will be a famous statement one day. We bought one as soon as we moved in, and it’s been a summer staple we look forward to. There’s something about that feeling of coziness and calm after a big day of running around, cooking, cleaning and organizing. It’s when the party chaos has diminished and those dedicated friends stay for a new round of fun. We ignite fresh cut wood, cuddle up in hoodies and reminisce about the day that was.

But the main reason we really gather is…you guessed it…s’mores. A good ole’ fashion campfire classic. Makes me feel like a kid all over again. And while I absolutely love the indoor version I shared with you, there’s nothing quite like roasting marshmallows over the fire. Everyone has their own approach to what they feel is the perfect bite. Do you char yours on the outside and then smush it between the grahams? Make a sandwich first and hold it over the fire? Spruce it up with fancy ingredients?

For our celebration, I found the most adorable star-shaped marshmallows, and turned them into party-friendly skewers. You can use the classic milk chocolate or get creative with mini Reese’s cups and other fun combinations. Are we there yet?

Ingredients:

Star-shaped marshmallows

Hershey’s kisses

Mini Reese’s cups

Mini graham crackers

Instructions:

Poke marshmallows and chocolates skewers in any pattern you choose. Serve with graham crackers.

Eat and enjoy over an open fire, and make new memories with old friends.